Russian planes shadowed by RAF

British military aircraft were scrambled to investigate Russian planes which flew close to UK airspace, the Ministry of Defence (MoD) confirmed.

Officials said Typhoon aircraft were dispatched from Scottish base RAF Leuchars after the Russian presence was detected.

A defence spokesman said: "Typhoon quick reaction alert aircraft were launched today from RAF Leuchars to determine the identity of unknown aircraft that approached the Nato air policing area north of Scotland and could not be identified by other means.

"The aircraft were subsequently identified as Russian military aircraft. The Russian military aircraft remained in international airspace at all times as they are perfectly entitled to do so.

"Russian military flights have never entered UK sovereign airspace without authorisation."

Similar incidents happened eight times during 2013, an MoD spokesman said.

Today's operation comes after the MoD sanctioned a naval vessel to intercept a Russian ship as it came close to UK waters last week.

A defence spokesman tonight confirmed that as part of separate and routine activity, HMS Dragon, the Royal Navy's fleet-ready escort, sailed from Portsmouth on Good Friday to meet up with a Russian ship, the Vice Admiral Kulakov, which is transiting past the UK.

The spokesman said: "In what is a well established and standard response, the powerful Royal Navy Type 45 destroyer met its Russian counterpart and is now keeping an eye on its transit south."

Defence Secretary Philip Hammond said the operations should not raise alarm.

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He said: " Recent events have increased awareness of Russian military activity, but we have always routinely intercepted, identified and escorted Russian air and naval assets that transit international airspace and waters within the UK's 'area of interest'.

"The Royal Navy and Royal Air Force will remain alert and ready to intercept any non-Nato forces in the area."

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Comments (9)

Is that a current photo of the two aircraft involved ? The Russian plane is a four-engined bomber of cold-war vintage. It has piston or turbo-prop engines and was outdated even in the 50s when compared to the American's B52 of similar vintage, or even the RAF's Valiant, Vulcan and Victor jet-powered nuclear bombers. If that's the best that Ivan can do, maybe Putin's not that much of a threat after all.

Is that a current photo of the two aircraft involved ?
The Russian plane is a four-engined bomber of cold-war vintage. It has piston or turbo-prop engines and was outdated even in the 50s when compared to the American's B52 of similar vintage, or even the RAF's Valiant, Vulcan and Victor jet-powered nuclear bombers.
If that's the best that Ivan can do, maybe Putin's not that much of a threat after all.Copperhead

Is that a current photo of the two aircraft involved ? The Russian plane is a four-engined bomber of cold-war vintage. It has piston or turbo-prop engines and was outdated even in the 50s when compared to the American's B52 of similar vintage, or even the RAF's Valiant, Vulcan and Victor jet-powered nuclear bombers. If that's the best that Ivan can do, maybe Putin's not that much of a threat after all.

Score: -1

chippenhamgedd says...7:55pm Wed 23 Apr 14

Those bad boys can still do an awful amount of damage and don't have to be that close to drop a payload that even you would regret.

Those bad boys can still do an awful amount of damage and don't have to be that close to drop a payload that even you would regret.chippenhamgedd

Those bad boys can still do an awful amount of damage and don't have to be that close to drop a payload that even you would regret.

Score: 4

welshmen says...8:38pm Wed 23 Apr 14

If Scotland leave the Union what' the SNP Salmon going to do, send up a couple microlights armed with two Deer hunters?....

If Scotland leave the Union what' the SNP Salmon going to do, send up a couple microlights armed with two Deer hunters?....welshmen

If Scotland leave the Union what' the SNP Salmon going to do, send up a couple microlights armed with two Deer hunters?....

Score: 5

pete woodley says...8:46pm Wed 23 Apr 14

Reminds me of the scares we had when i was with Bomber Command 1952/56,except us mere "erks"did not really know what was going on.One weekend we had a big "standby" and all married personal were confined to camp,and i sat with a bren gun ouside the main entrance all night.Those were the days.

Reminds me of the scares we had when i was with Bomber Command 1952/56,except us mere "erks"did not really know what was going on.One weekend we had a big "standby" and all married personal were confined to camp,and i sat with a bren gun ouside the main entrance all night.Those were the days.pete woodley

Reminds me of the scares we had when i was with Bomber Command 1952/56,except us mere "erks"did not really know what was going on.One weekend we had a big "standby" and all married personal were confined to camp,and i sat with a bren gun ouside the main entrance all night.Those were the days.

Score: 2

welshmen says...9:28pm Wed 23 Apr 14

pete woodley wrote…

Reminds me of the scares we had when i was with Bomber Command 1952/56,except us mere "erks"did not really know what was going on.One weekend we had a big "standby" and all married personal were confined to camp,and i sat with a bren gun ouside the main entrance all night.Those were the days.

Respect Pete....

[quote][p][bold]pete woodley[/bold] wrote:
Reminds me of the scares we had when i was with Bomber Command 1952/56,except us mere "erks"did not really know what was going on.One weekend we had a big "standby" and all married personal were confined to camp,and i sat with a bren gun ouside the main entrance all night.Those were the days.[/p][/quote]Respect Pete....welshmen

pete woodley wrote…

Reminds me of the scares we had when i was with Bomber Command 1952/56,except us mere "erks"did not really know what was going on.One weekend we had a big "standby" and all married personal were confined to camp,and i sat with a bren gun ouside the main entrance all night.Those were the days.

Respect Pete....

Score: 1

A Very Private Gentleman says...10:02pm Wed 23 Apr 14

Copperhead wrote…

Is that a current photo of the two aircraft involved ? The Russian plane is a four-engined bomber of cold-war vintage. It has piston or turbo-prop engines and was outdated even in the 50s when compared to the American's B52 of similar vintage, or even the RAF's Valiant, Vulcan and Victor jet-powered nuclear bombers. If that's the best that Ivan can do, maybe Putin's not that much of a threat after all.

this has been going on for years and the plane in question is the contra rotating turbo prop Russian Tu 95 Code name Bear: I have pictures of Phantoms and Lightnings intercepting them. Please excuse but there is no such thing as a Quote Jet-powered nuclear bombers Un Quote: Vulcan, Victor and Valiant could carry The Blue Steel Nuclear Weapon and other limited Tactical Nuclear Strike Weapons. By the way I was in "The Job" too. 77 to 89: The Bear would rarely carry any bombs it has too much kit on it for surveillance work, it could hardly get off the ground otherwise. It is so vulnerable to attack, it could easily be shot down by a single engined hawk as used by The Red Arrows with a cannon gun. Typhoon can fire at it from miles away without any worry whatsoever. Do not worry and please sleep at night, we have masses of fire power and Air Superiority protection in the UK. We have one of the largest fleet of M.D. F15 E Strike Eagles based in Suffolk, the fire power on them and the crews are awesome, operated by the USAF:

[quote][p][bold]Copperhead[/bold] wrote:
Is that a current photo of the two aircraft involved ?
The Russian plane is a four-engined bomber of cold-war vintage. It has piston or turbo-prop engines and was outdated even in the 50s when compared to the American's B52 of similar vintage, or even the RAF's Valiant, Vulcan and Victor jet-powered nuclear bombers.
If that's the best that Ivan can do, maybe Putin's not that much of a threat after all.[/p][/quote]this has been going on for years and the plane in question is the contra rotating turbo prop Russian Tu 95 Code
name Bear:
I have pictures of Phantoms and Lightnings intercepting them.
Please excuse but there is no such thing as a Quote Jet-powered nuclear bombers Un Quote:
Vulcan, Victor and Valiant could carry The Blue Steel Nuclear Weapon and other limited Tactical Nuclear Strike Weapons.
By the way I was in "The Job" too. 77 to 89:
The Bear would rarely carry any bombs it has too much kit on it for surveillance work, it could hardly get off the ground otherwise.
It is so vulnerable to attack, it could easily be shot down by a single engined hawk as used by The Red Arrows with a cannon gun.
Typhoon can fire at it from miles away without any worry whatsoever.
Do not worry and please sleep at night, we have masses of fire power and Air Superiority protection in the UK.
We have one of the largest fleet of M.D. F15 E Strike Eagles based in Suffolk, the fire power on them and the crews are awesome, operated by the USAF:A Very Private Gentleman

Copperhead wrote…

Is that a current photo of the two aircraft involved ? The Russian plane is a four-engined bomber of cold-war vintage. It has piston or turbo-prop engines and was outdated even in the 50s when compared to the American's B52 of similar vintage, or even the RAF's Valiant, Vulcan and Victor jet-powered nuclear bombers. If that's the best that Ivan can do, maybe Putin's not that much of a threat after all.

this has been going on for years and the plane in question is the contra rotating turbo prop Russian Tu 95 Code name Bear: I have pictures of Phantoms and Lightnings intercepting them. Please excuse but there is no such thing as a Quote Jet-powered nuclear bombers Un Quote: Vulcan, Victor and Valiant could carry The Blue Steel Nuclear Weapon and other limited Tactical Nuclear Strike Weapons. By the way I was in "The Job" too. 77 to 89: The Bear would rarely carry any bombs it has too much kit on it for surveillance work, it could hardly get off the ground otherwise. It is so vulnerable to attack, it could easily be shot down by a single engined hawk as used by The Red Arrows with a cannon gun. Typhoon can fire at it from miles away without any worry whatsoever. Do not worry and please sleep at night, we have masses of fire power and Air Superiority protection in the UK. We have one of the largest fleet of M.D. F15 E Strike Eagles based in Suffolk, the fire power on them and the crews are awesome, operated by the USAF:

Score: 2

A Very Private Gentleman says...10:03pm Wed 23 Apr 14

chippenhamgedd wrote…

Those bad boys can still do an awful amount of damage and don't have to be that close to drop a payload that even you would regret.

Wrong Sorry!

[quote][p][bold]chippenhamgedd[/bold] wrote:
Those bad boys can still do an awful amount of damage and don't have to be that close to drop a payload that even you would regret.[/p][/quote]Wrong Sorry!A Very Private Gentleman

chippenhamgedd wrote…

Those bad boys can still do an awful amount of damage and don't have to be that close to drop a payload that even you would regret.

Wrong Sorry!

Score: 2

pete woodley says...10:04pm Wed 23 Apr 14

Whilst my memory is a bit clear there were several local guys with me,at R.A.F. Wittering.Dave Crumpler,Pete Hopkins,Pete Chapman,Pete Osborne,George Blenkinsop,the Footner twins,Vernon Pell.Hope they are all well.

Whilst my memory is a bit clear there were several local guys with me,at R.A.F. Wittering.Dave Crumpler,Pete Hopkins,Pete Chapman,Pete Osborne,George Blenkinsop,the Footner twins,Vernon Pell.Hope they are all well.pete woodley

Whilst my memory is a bit clear there were several local guys with me,at R.A.F. Wittering.Dave Crumpler,Pete Hopkins,Pete Chapman,Pete Osborne,George Blenkinsop,the Footner twins,Vernon Pell.Hope they are all well.

Score: 3

Katie Re-Registered says...8:37pm Thu 24 Apr 14

Hmmm...It seems that Vladimir Putin is looking for places to annex that have a majority Russian population - like Knightsbridge, for instance...:)

Hmmm...It seems that Vladimir Putin is looking for places to annex that have a majority Russian population - like Knightsbridge, for instance...:)Katie Re-Registered

Hmmm...It seems that Vladimir Putin is looking for places to annex that have a majority Russian population - like Knightsbridge, for instance...:)

Score: 0

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